The present invention relates to an apparatus for anchoring flotation devices to stationary objects. Flotation devices, such as rafts, inflatable air mattresses and solid buoyant mattresses are commonly used in swimming pools and lakes by swimmers and sunbathers. Such persons often want to relax on a flotation device, but at the same time remain in the sunlight, or shade, depending on their preference. This is difficult to accomplish without the constant attention of the person, since even the slightest breeze will cause the flotation device to drift across the want to remain in the same orientation with respect to the sun. There is thus a need for an anchoring apparatus to hold flotation devices in a relatively fixed position. Such an apparatus should be light weight, easy to attach and remove, and safe for swimmers in the area.
The prior art shows a number of proposed solutions to the problem of anchoring flotation devices in pools or lakes. In general, such devices have not solved the problems of attaching the anchoring apparatus to sides of typical tiled pool walls and of easily adjusting the length of the tethers which are a part of the anchor. The person floating usually will wish to adjust the position of the float from time to time as the position of the sun in the sky changes. Prior art solutions have used straps with buckles for length adjustment. Also, many swimming pools typically have tile walls which are a mosaic of small tiles, often one inch or smaller in size. The grout lines between such tiles allow air to leak under a typical suction cup, and thus defeat that method of attaching an anchoring apparatus to the side of a pool. Finally, the prior art has not addressed the problem of losing the anchoring apparatus in the water if it should become detached from the side of a pool. The present invention solves these problems by providing a suction device capable of holding to walls of small tile, and also being more easily and quickly adjustable than the strap and buckle method. In addition, the anchoring apparatus of the present invention is made buoyant, so as to allow it to be easily recovered, should it become detached.